Portable-type bootjack with platform



March 10, 1959 M. JOHNSON PORTABLE-TYPE BOOTJACK WITH. PLATFORM 2Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March 8', 1957 Mgr/in Johnson- INVENTOR.

March 10, 1959 JOHNSON 2,876,942

PORTABLE-TYPE BOOTJACK WITH PLATFORM Filed March 8, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet2 Fig.4"

% Merl/n Johnson 3 INVENTOR.

United States Patent Y PORTABLE-TYPE BOOTJACK WITH PLATFORM Thisinvention relates to an improved bootjack which is portable and ischaracterized by a base having a firm platform on which a user may standerect and which, in turn, is provided with a V-type heel gripper andpuller, the latter overlying a marginal end portion of the base andbeing situated in an accessible plane slightly above the plane of thebase in which position it serves, in a now generally well known manner,to effectually aid a user in loosening and removing wet and dirtyovershoes, boots, arctics and the like without having to stoop or crouchor catch hold of the same with the hands.

As the foregoing general statement of the concept reveals, V-type heelgrippers and boot pullers are well known. It follows that the presentinvention is directed to a structural adaptation which is characterizedby cer-- tain new and practical improvements which collectively serve tobetter adapt the overall device to manufacturing, assembling and repairand, what is more important, meets the inclement weather needs of allpersons, especially children and elderly persons needing assistancewhile taking ofi overshoes and boots.

Another object of the invention is to provide a simple, practical andinexpensive bootjack which may be conveniently set for use near adoorway or other entrance to the users house. To this end the base isprovided with a broad flat platform, the latter having a rubber or anequivalent mat thereon to render use of the platform safe and reliable.In addition, the base is provided at its corner portions with anti-skidfeet so that accidental slippage of the base is reduced to a minimum.

More specifically, the base comprises an inverted pan. Nested in thereceptacle or underside of the pan is a reinforcing and stabilizingframe. The frame is novel in construction and provides satisfactory andpractical anchoring means for end portions of a sturdy rod, that is, arod which is bent upon itself and between its ends to define theaforementioned V-shaped heel gripper and puller and also uprights whichserve to position the puller in an easy-to-use position above theplatform surface of the base.

Other objects, features and advantages will become more readily apparentfrom the following description and the accompanying sheets of drawings.

In the drawings, wherein like numerals are employed to designate likeparts throughout the views:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the improved platformtype bootjack;

Fig. 2 is a central longitudinal section taken on the plane of the line2-2 of Fig. 1, looking in the direction of the arrows;

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the frame and the V- shaped heel gripperand puller; and

Fig. 4 is an exploded perspective view in which all of the componentswhich go to make up the over-all structure are shown.

With reference to Fig. 4 it will be clear that the base is of sectionalor composite form. The aforementioned ice platform is provided by a firmflat bottomed inverted rectangular pan 6. The fiat bottom is denoted at8 and the marginal flanges forming a depending skirt or rim are denotedby the numeral 10. The rounded corner portions of the rim are denoted at12. The standing and wiping mat is denoted at 14 and this issuperimposed on and attached to and forms a part of the pan. It isWithin the purview of the invention to construct the mat to have thedouble function of a so-called door mat, under which circumstances itwould be ribbed or otherwise constructed to provide traction andanti-slipping elements (not shown). The reinforcing and stabilizingframe which is nested in the receptacle portion of the pan is denotedvas an entity by the numeral 16. It comprises a pair of spaced parallellongitudinal side members 18 having assembling notches 20 situatedinwardly of the downwardly curved end portions22. The transverse framemembers are denoted by the numerals 24 and here again these are providedin their lower edge portions with notches 26 spaced inwardly of the downcurving terminals or ends 28. Obviously the respective notches 20 and 26are nested together to provide interlocking connection between therespective frame members. It will be seen too that when the framemembers are joined as depicted in Fig. 3 the extending end portions '22and 28 provide substantially V-shaped portions and in each V atriangular plate or cleat 30 is situated and welded or otherwiseconnected in place. This provides a sturdy corner portion and it alsoprovides for the accommodation of the button-like feet or pads 3 whichare cemented or otherwise connected to the underneath side of thecleats. It follows that the frame may be said to have feet at its cornerportions and slippage of the structure is therefore minimized.

The heel gripper and puller unit is denoted generally by the numeral 32and as before mentioned this is fashioned from a length of rod stock ofappropriate cross section and rigidity. The intermediate portion is bentinto V-shaped form as at 34 and this defines the puller and gripper. Theend portions 36 are vertical and parallel and constitute uprights. Thefree end portions which function as terminals are denoted at 38 andthese are lateral to the uprights and parallel to the gripper 34 andthey are welded to the projecting end portions of the side frame membersin the manner shown to best advantage in Fig. 2. With this construction.the uprights are disposed outwardly of the rim and the V-shaped memberoverlies the platform in the manner illustrated in the drawings. Thispositions the member so that it may be used in a generally well knownmanner as illustrated by the phantom line showing in Fig. 2. That is tosay the heel of the boot is jammed or wedged into the crotch of theV-puller 34 and makes it possible to loosen and then free and remove aboot, overshoe or the like. As before touched upon grippers and pullersin this category are generally well known and therefore the inventionresides in the specific construction of the rod member, the manner inwhich it is attached to the frame and the manner in which the frame isnested in the receptacle portion and secured to the bottom side of thepan to provide a strong and reliable structure.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles ofthe invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes willreadily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limitthe invention to the exact construction and operation shown anddescribed, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalentsmay be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention asclaimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. A boot-jack comprising a base frame comprising a plurality of framemembers having their respective ad- Patented Mar. 10, 1959 jacent endportions only interlocked, an inverted shallow pan the major portion ofwhich constitutes a platform which is of an area ample to enable a userto stand with both feet thereon, said, frame-fitting in and occupyingthe receptacle portion and the frame members being flush with the bottommarginal edge portions of the depending fianges of the pan, ananti-slipping mat afiixed atop said platform, and a rod having a medianV-shaped portion providing a heel embracing and gripping member, saidmember being disposed in spaced parallelism above an end portion of theplatform, and vertical portions at right angles to the plane of theplatform and having lateral terminal-lower end portions affixed tocooperating end portions of certain of the frame members, the terminalends of the frame members having a contour corresponding to the contourof the rim forminggflanges of the pan in a manner to thus reinforce thepan.

2. 'A boot-jack comprising a portablebase frame embodying a pair ofspaced parallel longitudinal coplanar side members, a pair of transverseendv members parallel toeach other and at right angles to thelongitudinal side members, the adjacent cooperating end portions of therespective frame members being notched and interlocked and providingrelatively short projecting portions defining asubstantially V-shapedcorner at each corner portion of the over-all frame, a triangular cleataflixed to the terminal portions of each corner and being substantiallyflush with the lower edge portions of the terminal members and servingto reinforce the corners, an anti-skid pad afiixed to the bottomsurfaceof each cleat, a shallow inverted pan the body portion of whichconstitutes a standing platform and which is of an area to support thefeet of the user While standing thereon and removing a boot, said baseframe fitting into the receptacle portion of the pan, the extremeterminal edges of the terminal end portions at the respective cornersbeing rounded off and conforming in shape to and securely abuttingcorrespondingly shaped surfaces of the marginal depending flange of thepan, and a rod member having a median V-shaped portion disposed inspaced parallelism above one end portion of the pan, having dependingupright portions, and terminal lower laterally bent portions afi'ixed toadjacent terminal ends at corresponding ends of the longitudinal sidemembers of'the base frame whereby to thus provide a composite, lightweight but sturdy and portable platform type boot-jack.

References Cited in thefile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 8,865Thompson Apr. 6, 1852 846,694 Paul Mar. 12, 1907 1,754,812 ZachariasApr. 15, 1930 1,849,282 Churchill Mar. 15, 1932 2,615,098 OBrien Oct.2l, 1952 FOREIGN PATENTS 472,316 Germany Feb. 26, 1929 634,050 GermanyAug. 14, 1936

